Obama chides Clinton for playing gender card

[jefferson_dem]

Obama chides Clinton for playing gender card
Fri Nov 2, 2007 8:38am

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama, the only black candidate for president, accused rival Hillary Clinton on Friday of hiding behind her gender after she was pummeled in a debate with six male candidates.

"I am assuming and I hope that Sen. Clinton wants to be treated like everybody else," the Illinois senator said in an interview with NBC's "Today Show."

"When we had a debate back in Iowa awhile back, we spent I think the first 15 minutes of the debate hitting me on various foreign policy issues. And I didn't come out and say: 'Look, I'm being hit on because I look different from the rest of the folks on the stage'," he said.

"I assumed it was because there were real policy differences there, and I think that has to be the attitude that all of us take. We're not running for the president of the city council. We're running for the presidency of the United States."

<SNIP>

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN0254101120071102?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&rpc=22&sp=true

[MadHound]

1. Yeah, I find Clinton's playing the gender card rather insulting

You can't simultaneously want to be treated equally and want your gender considered as a mitigating factor at the same time. It is disingenous and hypocritical on the part of Clinton.

[papau]

2. thank goodness he has not used his background/color to appeal for votes ?? - Like they both are just

who they are and the refer to that fact.

"gender card" is a bit of stretch - as is his saying that she has said "I'm being hit on because I look different from the rest of the folks on the stage." when she hasn't said that.

Straw-men anyone?

[William769]

12. He had the audacity to play the gender card?

As if getting beat up by a girl isn't bad enough.

[MLFerrell]

33. That is blatantly sexist.

You Hillary supporters will stoop to any low, won't you?

[William769]

37. I call the shots like I see them (pun intended).

:rofl:

[Forkboy]

43. Think about what you just said.

How would you feel if someone said, "As if getting beat up by a gay man isn't bad enough."?

You're not only mocking Obama, but Hillary as well.You assign weakness to her for her being a girl, and at the same time insinuating that Obama isn't much of a man.It's ugly by both measures. :shrug:

[mark414]

45. um...she was the one who brought it up

[bigdarryl]

3. Hate to say it Obama is right on this one

When she uses the gender card she looks WEAK!!!

[Debi]

6. But looking weak works for Clinton....

http://www.newsweek.com/id/32998

<snip>

....When Rick Lazio invaded Mrs. Clinton's personal space during one of their debates in the 2000 Senate race, he made her look vulnerable. Lazio learned the hard way that a vulnerable Mrs. Clinton is a popular Mrs. Clinton.....

<snip>

[Goblinmonger]

14. So does Obama look weak

when he plays the black card while trying to appeal to the black, gay-hating religious. Or is that somehow strength.

And I hate Clinton, too, by the way.

[napi21]

4. Oh for goodness sake. She was speaking at an all woman's college!

Yea, the media picked it up, but it's not like she was on MTP or something!!! Every candidate speaks to the forum they're in and an all womans college is sure the place to do something like that. I don't fault her at all!

[Debi]

7. That's an excuse? Is that what all-woman colleges teach? n/t

[napi21]

13. No they don't TEACH IT. But there is a comraderie in both

all men's and all woman's schools.

[rodeodance]

39. yes, Stand by your sister.

[papau]

44. I agree - telling a women's college student group that they are getting a good education is not evil

nor is it playing the "gender card"

Saying that business and politics is "the boy's game" is just stating a fact.

Stating that Wellesley College prepared her to play in the political arena is an encouragement to the students.

Sounds like male wimps are afraid of the girls being proud of their education.

[MiniMe]

5. A rather poor place to choose to attack her IMHO

I am not a Hillary supporter, I wanted Gore to run. I'm leaning towards Biden now. But calling it a gender card is low. Especially since, even if it is not done by him, the race card is in play here.

[SaveElmer]

8. More lame tactics from Obama...

When is he gonna learn that attacking other Democrats is not what voters are looking for. He seems to think the very act of attacking will garner him support...

[BeyondGeography]

24. Wanna talk lame? How about "the all boys’ club of presidential politics"

Blunt appeals to identity politics? Didn't that stop working 20 years ago?

[napi21]

41. NO! It didn't Any woman in the workforce knows she has to not

only do a great job, she has to do much BETTER than her male counterpart to get ahead! I've been through the whole mess. When I first entered the workforce 46 years ago, I had to be "one of the boys" to even be recognized as anything more than a clerk. Things have gotten much better, but be honest! Women only recently began breaking into the "boys club" of the House and Senate.

I would NEVER vote for someone JUST because that candidate is a woman, but to vote AGAINST a candidate for that reason is a true demonstration that the "Old Boys Club" is still very much alive and doing well!

[Evergreen Emerald]

9. "treated like everybody else?" Not one of those other candidates

have ever gone through the political pummeling that Clinton went through--and frankly, I don't think most of them could take it.

Treated like everyone else my ass.

[Dawgs]

15. Did you watch any of the 2004 debates when Dean was the front-runner?

[Evergreen Emerald]

16. Dean is not running this year--I am talking about the ones yelling the loudest Obama / Edwards

and no I did not (too young!)

[Debi]

17. Wait, you haven't seen the past debates but you KNOW that Clinton

got 'pummeled' harder than any other candidate in any other debate, ever? :rofl:

[Evergreen Emerald]

18. what the fuc* are you laughing at? You aren't even reading my post correctly

Not one of the other candidates, who is now criticizing Clinton's performance and reaction to the debate attacks, has gone through what Clinton went through. NOT ONE OF THEM. So, until they have, I suggest they have not a reason to criticize her for the debate.

[Debi]

22. Ask Joe Biden if he's ever been under the microscope? Or Bill Richardson

during the Clinton administration. Clinton has been in elected office a shorter period of time than any of the candidates who were up on stage at the debate. They have all been attacked at one time or another in their careers. The critique of her past record or her public comments were no worse than any of the other candidates have endured in the past. She and her supporters have nothing to complain about.

[waiting for hope]

25. There is two elections going on

right now, and the first to get out of the way is the Primary. They have ever right the question her on her credibility and I'm glad they did. It pointed out what people here on on other sites have been saying for months, that she is not willing to take a stand on some issues. As a voter, I am disheartened over her being disingenuous, I , and everyone else, need to know what her stand on the issues are. If the same had happened to the others (and Edwards included), it would be fair game.

[Evergreen Emerald]

26. please this was an all out attack on Clinton by all including the media

Richardson / Biden / Dodd have never been attacked like that in a "debate." I would like to see it.

Everyone got a free pass on their answers but Clinton.

As a voter--aren't you interested in all of the candidates? Or are you only interested in watching Clinton fall?

[Bullet1987]

27. "Everyone got a free pass on their answers but Clinton."

That's the cost of being a front runner and top tier. Biden and Dodd are not expected to win the nomination.

[Evergreen Emerald]

28. I don't buy it. This was more than the cost of being a front runner

A debate is not supposed to be an all out attack on the "front runner." There was no balance here at all in the questions. It was constant barrage. And Clinton was the only one held to task. Why was there NO MENTION of the fact that Obama did not even show up for the Lyl/Lie. vote? Or the fact that he had nothing to say about it before the vote--if it were so bad, why was he mum? Why was there nothing about McClurkin? It is a huge issue about trust and honesty--and he was given a pass.

No. This was not your ordinary debate where people tried to differentiate themselves from the frontrunner. This was an all-out attack with the media leading the charging and the dems--who are usually the targets of the media (and will be again once Clinton falls)--behind full boar.

Richardson and Biden were the exceptions, seeing the display for what it was.

[Debi]

31. 'A debate is not supposed to be an all out attack on the "front runner." '

Call Howard Dean and tell him that.

Thank you, however, for finally acknowledging that there were individuals who didn't go after Senator Clinton.

[Debi]

30. Biden for President 1988

Yeah, free pass :eyes:

on edit:

Please show me where Biden attacked Clinton or where he gave ANY questionable answers in the debate. Clinton herself said 'I agree with Joe'or some variation of that more than once in the debate.

[waiting for hope]

36. I'm interested in all

of them and have made the conclusion that Edwards has my support. Give me a break, Clinton has been given a free pass since day one in the media. And as for seeing Clinton "fall", that will be her own doing by not giving clear answers.

[sandnsea]

10. well good for him

I didn't think anybody would confront her on this two-faced gender pandering.

[underpants]

11. Well when you are the top of the mountain...

or if you TELL EVERYONE that you are on the top of the mountain ...

everyone is coming up at you.

Come on Hillary you are tougher than that. Frankly it sounds like Republican culture of victimization type stuff to me.

[Bitwit1234]

19. Wonder what you happen if Hillary chided Obama for playing the race card

which he seems so fond of doing. But then if SHE even mentioned the RACE card she would be jumped on as being racist. Seems kind of odd a man that uses his race to try to get ahead TRIES to bash, again, a woman saying she is using a SEXIST card. Damn how republican can he get.

[William769]

21. Donnie McClurkin ring any bells?

[geek tragedy]

32. Where does Obama try to exploit his race

as shamelessly as Clinton exploits her gender?

[rodeodance]

38. southern Black voters ring a bell??

[IronLionZion]

42. I think Hillary has more souther black support than Obama,

especially in South Carolina.

[NMMNG]

40. Embrace The Change.

:shrug:

[BeyondGeography]

20. Well done

"When we had a debate back in Iowa awhile back, we spent I think the first 15 minutes of the debate hitting me on various foreign policy issues. And I didn't come out and say: 'Look, I'm being hit on because I look different from the rest of the folks on the stage'," he said.

[Bullet1987]

23. The race card has nothing to do with McClurkin

Obama didn't say he was being mistreated because he was Black. Clinton was subtely playing the Gender card at her alma meter and Obama is absolutely right to call her out on it!

[madrchsod]

29. "if you can`t stand the heat-get out of the kitchen"

harry s truman.

[Renew Deal]

34. Is Hillary going to say: Putin, Jintao, Chavez, and Sarkozy are mean to me because I'm a girl?

This is what I envision. "The boys club of world leaders are picking on me because I'm a girl." That doesn't fly.

[illinoisprogressive]

35. Being a minority candidate, Obama has the cred to point this out. bravo!